


The Right Call

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 22:29:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10054361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles





	

Tavi didn't start second-guessing her decision to go to Stalwart until the blizzard hit. It had been one thing to stand in Caed Nua's main hall, reading the letter from Mayor Renengild, and have the Steward caution her the mountains were cold. She could handle cold, they all could. So she'd gathered her party and they were off. It was an entirely different matter now.

It took three days to reach the foot of the White March mountain range, where they camped for the night despite Hiravias' joking threat to skin them all in their sleep for camping on Glanfathan land once more. Or, at least, she hoped he was joking. Even at the mountain's base they could see their breath in the morning, and Pallegina and Aloth looked briefly unsure how they felt about being included on this venture.

"Oh, come on, it won't be _that_  bad, and the faster we get to Stalwart, the sooner we'll have access to better shelter than tents," Tavi pointed out enthusiastically, nudging Sagani with her elbow. 

"The weather looks clear, so the climb shouldn't be too much of a hassle, beyond bein' chilly," the ranger concurred, passing Itumaak the scraps from her breakfast. "Just dress warm an' you'll be fine."

The snow started as gentle flurries in the second hour of their trek up the mountain. Tavi grinned and stuck out her tongue to catch the gently drifting flakes. Her grin widened at the sight of Aloth, clearly torn between chuckling at her antics and scowling at the sky. "Oh, lighten up, city slicker, it's just _flurries,_ " she teased. Her breath huffed out in a warm, lingering cloud as she laughed. 

Aloth's expression shifted to something almost unreadable, and he muttered an equally unintelligible comment under his breath. 

"What was that, Aloth? Couldn't hear ya."

He cleared his throat, cheeks pink from more than just the cold, and quickly glanced at their companions to make sure none were paying attention before repeating himself to _her_ , rather than his scarf. "You... looked like a painting."

Tavi snorted. "What, _Girl Playing in Snow_?" 

Aloth just flushed darker pink and shrugged, hunching his shoulders as he focused on following the path.

Tavi cursed herself for an idiot and hurried after him. "No, Al- I wasn't making fun of _you_!"

He slanted a skeptical glance in her direction. "Well, then, who _were_  you making fun of?"

"Not so much a person as the concept. I am _not_ the sort of girl people usually want to immortalize via art, city slicker," she elaborated, resting a hand on his arm. "So that bein' where your mind went...." a shrug, paired with a sheepish grin. "Caught me off-guard is all, an' you know I'm shit with words."

Aloth chuckled softly, flexing his hands as if trying to preserve the feeling in his fingers. "Yes, you've mentioned that once or twice."

"So you combine that with sarcasm bein' my first line of defense, and, well..." She gestured at the two of them, wind tossing her hair. "Exhibit A."

"No need to apologize," Aloth assured her, shivering as the wind picked up. "The explanation is sufficient."

Tavi grinned and bumped her her shoulder against his, their fingers brushing and catching briefly as she leaned back.

Another gust of wind pushed them along, raising goosebump on exposed skin, and Hiravias cursed behind them.

Aloth glared at the sky through the flurries. "I do wish the weather would clear up..."

"Oh, don''t be so gloomy," Tavi chided, spirits still high. "It's just flurries, Corfiser. Could be worse, ya know."

>>>>>>>

By lunchtime, it was worse. The flurries had given way to thick, clumping snow and hail, all blown about by high shrieking winds that cut right through you and stole the warmth from your bones. Lunch was eaten while walking because none of them wanted to stop. They endured for a couple more hours, even as the weather worsened until Tavi could barely make out the broad expanse of Kana's back as he trudged next to Sagani at the front. And holding Aloth's hand was more so neither of them got lost than any attempted romantic gesture. (Neither of them had found the courage to be overtly romantic since she'd reacted to almost dying by kissing him full on the mouth, anyway.)

By the time Sagani stopped and suggested they find shelter somewhere to ride out the blizzard, Tavi was already coming to that conclusion herself. She could barely feel her fingers, _couldn't_  feel her ears, and had spent the last half hour keeping herself awake by counting the frost crystals collecting on Aloth's eyelashes. It was a good game because every time he blinked she had to start over. But she liked Sagani's idea even more than she liked her game, and so wholeheartedly endorsed the dwarf's plan.

Fortunately, they found a suitable, albeit shallow, cave in less than an hour from when they started searching. It wasn't until Hiravias and Sagani got a fire going and there was some decent light that Tavi noticed.

"Hylea's _tits_ , Aloth, you're goin' blue!"

He shook his head, scrunching down into the layers of cloak and clothes wrapped around him. "No, no, I'm fine, Tav-"

"Like hell you are!" Tavi cut him off, barely registering the small pulse of warmth in her belly(that had nothing to do with the fire). She raised an eyebrow as a shiver rippled up his spine and dragged him over toward the fire, her own hands stiff with cold as she tugged snow-soaked gloves, scarves, and cloaks off both of them. "The wet gear isn't helping, I'm sure..."

"Tavi." Aloth raised his hands to still hers as she fussed and fumbled with the clasp of his cloak. "It's not as bad as all that." He frowned, curled his fingers around her hands in a tentative grasp, and stared at them "Your hands are like ice."

Tavi rolled her eyes at his reproachful tone. "Yeah, they are. Lil' bit. But _all_  of you is like ice, city slicker. That's a slightly higher priority than just my hands."

"Nonsense." Despite the calm protest, she could tell the wizard was ever so faintly smiling as he urged her to sit, the heat from the fire beginning to thaw them out. In very short order, their whole group was out of their wet, cumbersome outerwear and Sagani was busy handing out blankets.

Aloth passed the one she handed him to Tavi. "You seem to need it more." He nodded toward her hands, red and chapped as she rubbed them together in the fire's heat.

Rather than protest or argue(she could _see_  him shivering), she just took the blanket and unfurled the dark red fabric until she could ensconce them both inside it, grinning mischievously as she scooted closer to Aloth. "Sharin' body heat'll speed up the process..."

He blushed _almost_  dark enough to match the blanket, but scooted closer as well. "...That is an excellent point." 

Hidden by the heavy fabric, the elves' hands bumped, fingers tangling shyly as they held the blanket and slanted glances at each other. A comfortable silence prevailed over their refuge; the lot of them too worn out for conversation. Still, Tavi caught the grin Sagani tossed her way, one eyebrow cocked as the dwarf made it abundantly clear she was on to them. Not that that surprised Tavi in the least. She just smirked back and scooted even closer to Aloth, pressing her arm against his until the body heat leeched through their clothes. Or should have. But Aloth still felt fucking _freezing_ , and she couldn't help but indulge a twinge of concern.

"You alright, city slicker?" she murmured, squeezing his hand.

He nodded. "I will be. Just not used to cold weather of this severity is all. I do, however, appreciate your concern."

"Well, I have my reasons for wantin' you around, ya know," she teased, impulsively leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek; the barest brush of lips against skin. "Vested interests, you could say."

Aloth flushed, but still smirked as he met her gaze. "And here I thought you were worried out of the goodness of your heart." 

"No such luck, I'm afraid," Tavi riposted breezily, almost forgetting about the raging blizzard outside. "My motives in this case are far more selfish." She wa silent for a moment, listening to Kana humming, before quietly asking the question that had been gnawing at her since the snow picked up. "Was this the right call? Comin' out here, I mean."

Aloth shifted slightly, shivering and pulling the blanket tighter as melting snow ran down the back of his shirt. When he answered, she could tell he was choosing his words carefully; more in the interest of being honest than any attempt to spare her feelings. (He knew she, of all people, didn't need coddling) "I think figuring out what the Leaden Key is up to is important, especially if they're after something that would make Thaos more powerful. And this town, Stalwart, certainly seems to need above average adventurers, which is definitely you."

" _Us_ ," Tavi corrected, feeling her cheeks warm even as she nodded at the rest of their party, gathered around the fire. "Even if you _are_  the least adventurous adventurer I've ever met."

He smiled at her teasing. "If you'll recall, I _did_  tell you when we first met that I was an adventurer by _necessity_."

"Hm, 's true, you did," she conceded. "So, what would you be doin' with yourself if circumstances hadn't forced your hand?"

He pursed his lips in thought. "Probably studying somewhere, at the grace of an erl or duc. Locking myself in a library to try and finesse secrets out of tomes and grimoires that could increase my patron's power. Learning for the sake of learning, and hoping all the while that a _certain someone_  didn't get bored and try to stir things up a little."

A small smile tugged the corners of Tavi's lips. "Aside from that last point, sounds pretty perfect for you."

Aloth shrugged. "Maybe. But if I hadn't been forced into adventuring, I wouldn't have learned how to deal with Iselmyr, wouldn't have gained the _confidence_  to deal with her..." He paused, looking Tavi square in the eye. "And I wouldn't have met you."

She grinned, giddy warmth spiking through her. "Yeah, your life woulda been a whole lot more borin' without me. Should I apologize or say you're welcome?"

He snorted. "Perhaps both?"

Tavi's grin widened. "I'm sorry and you're welcome, city slicker." She bumped her shoulder against his as they let the companionable silence return, staring idly into the fire.

It only lasted a minute or so before Aloth broke it again. "What about you?"

Tavi raised an eyebrow at him. "What about me, what?"

"What if life hadn't forced _your_ hand? What would you be doing with yourself?"

She bit her lip in thought. "Depends. Are we talkin' about the bîaŵac and its fallout from Cîlant Lîs, or the anonymous thugs who burned down my house, killed my family, and have been chasin' me for thirty years?"

"I think we have time for both, if you're willing," Aloth said, nodding towards where Sagani and Pallegina were clearing snow from the mouth of the cave. "We won't be going anywhere for a while."

"Mm, true." Tavi thought for a moment. "If it weren't for the bîaŵac an' my stumblin' across Thaos... I might've still made it to Gilded Vale, may've still met you an' Edér, but wouldn'ta been more'n another passin' drifter. Nothin' special."

"I'm going to have to take exception to _that_ ," Aloth interrupted.

Tavi felt her cheeks heat. "Aw gee, thanks, city slicker. But shush. This is my turn." He nodded a _fair enough_  and she continued. "Dunno when I would made if the caravan hadn't been attacked. Maybe woulda met you before your... _confrontation_  with those drunks, maybe after." She shrugged. "There's too many variables on that one, so I really don't know. But if I hadn't been pushed into the life of a drifter... I'd either be goin' slowly insane workin' with my father in his shop, bored to fuckin' tears the whole time, _or_  I'd've struck out as an adventurer/merchant or merchant's bodyguard b'fore I turned thirty. Just a wanderer's soul, I guess. 'Sides, I've always felt it's the people who're important, not where ya find 'em. A house that's stood a hundred years, a merchant caravan, traveling band of adventurers, a wayside inn... any of 'em can be _home_  if you care about the people."

"And here I thought you weren't good with words," Aloth commented, words laced with quiet amusement. "That was very profound."

Tavi snorted and shrugged. "Everyone gets lucky a time or two. Even Vailian drifters with a minimal amount of formal education."

"True...."

"Don't sound so surprised, Corfiser," she grumbled, teasing smile poking through.

"I'm _not_!" Aloth protested, completely missing the mischievous glint in her eyes. "If there's one thing I've learned since traveling with you, it's that there are many types of wisdom, some from a lifetime surrounded by books, some from a life out in the world, and I would never-"

"Aloth," Tavi cut him off. "I was _teasing_."

"Oh." He fell silent and stared into the fire.

"Don't get grumpy about it," she sighed, pressing her shoulder against his. "I'm sorry."

Aloth shook his head. "It's not something that requires an apology, Tavi. I just need to get better at determining when you're being serious and when you're being _you_."

She laughed and leaned in to whisper, "Aw, but where's the fun in that?" before moving to give him another kiss on the cheek. However, Aloth picked _exactly_  the right second to turn and retort something equally snarky, and she wound up kissing him on the lips instead. Both of them jolted slightly, inhaling sharply in surprise, but then Tavi's hands dug into his shirt, and Aloth's were sliding up to tangle in her hair, and she was _kissing him_.

And he was kissing her back.

Tavi took a second to register that fact, grinned, and slid one hand up to cup the back of his neck as she deepened the kiss. It wasn't until Sagani's almost matter-of-fact wolf whistle pierced the air that the elves remembered they weren't _alone_  in the cave.

" 'Bout time," the dwarf said dryly. "Seriously, I've been waitin' for the two of you to do that since roundabouts when she-" a nod at Tavi- "almost died."

"Which time?" Aloth muttered, face red.

Tavi snorted. "Pretty sure she means the most recent one, city slicker." She rested her forehead against his temple. "Though I do have to agree with her; 'bout time that happened."

He raised an eyebrow as the others-- all with some level of satisfied grins--went about their business. "Then why hadn't you made it happen?"

She shrugged, sitting back so she could meet his eyes. "Dunno. Guess I figured since I was the one who kissed you out of the blue, it was only fair I let you go first this time around."

"And here I've been thinking _you_  would make the first move..."

"Well, technically, I  _did_ ," Tavi pointed out, the scar across her chest twinging at the memory.

Aloth's breath caught again, one hand dropping to rest just below her clavicle, touch feather-light and hesitant over the raised scar tissue. "I suppose it is silly how much time we've wasted, given our circumstances."

"Silly is one word for it," Tavi agreed, kissing him softly. "Really mother-fucking stupid would also apply."

"Well, then." Aloth trailed his fingers up her collarbone and the side of her neck until his hand rested against her jaw. "I'm assuming you have a solution in mind for this _grievous_ level of stupidity we've both displayed?"

"Mm-hm. It's called _Shut up an' kiss me, city slicker_. Took a lot of thought to come up with, and I'm rather proud of i-"

He was chuckling as he obliged, and the warmth that filled Tavi was all the reassurance she needed that this was the right call.

>>>>>>>>>

In the end it took three days for the blizzard to abate. Three days before it was clear enough to travel. And even then, the snow drifts were high enough walking was chore. But Tavi's doubts had quieted and she was once again confident in her decision to follow the Leaden Key halfway up a mountain. (And her decision to repeatedly kiss a certain wizard while they were waiting for the storm to die down had been a similarly good call. Not that she'd ever say _that_ out loud) It took another day and a half trudging through the drifted snow for Stalwart to come into view, and when it did, she was very glad they'd come. The smoke rising from half of the buildings carried with it the sounds of battle; cries of anger and pain, clash of weapons, thunderous crack of _very_ large guns.

"Well," she said, drawing her sabres and glancing at her friends. "Shall we?"

They all nodded, drawing their weapons and preparing for a fight.

Tavi's lips curved in a grin as she turned and charged across the remaining distance to the small village, feeling the gentle warmth of magic enhancing her armor. _Yes, this was definitely the right call._


End file.
